Top 10 Dubai Cassation & Supreme Court Lawyers for 2026

Research checked: 18 September 2026.

When a judgment threatens your business, property, financial position or personal interests, the first priority is not finding the most recognisable lawyer. It is obtaining a clear assessment of the available procedure, the deadline, the potential grounds for challenge and the representation required.

This guide identifies 10 Dubai-connected litigation practitioners to consider for a higher-court case assessment. It explains their documented experience, distinguishes individual biographies from firm-level capabilities and provides practical questions for your first consultation.

Supreme Court or Court of Cassation: Which Lawyer Do You Need?

For an onshore Dubai case, identify the Court of Cassation route

Dubai legislation expressly identifies the Court of Cassation as the emirate's highest court. Its role includes reviewing whether other courts' judgments comply with the law. That makes the legal basis for a challenge central to an initial assessment - not merely the fact that a party disagrees with the outcome. (Dubai Land Department)

For a Federal Supreme Court matter, establish federal jurisdiction separately

The Federal Supreme Court has its own jurisdiction within the UAE's federal system. Do not assume that living in Dubai, instructing a Dubai lawyer or losing a Dubai appeal automatically makes a case a Federal Supreme Court matter. Ask counsel to identify the correct judicial framework and the basis for the proposed procedure. (UAE)

Do not confuse DIFC experience with onshore criminal or cassation representation

The DIFC Courts operate within a separate framework and expressly state that they do not hear criminal trials. A lawyer's DIFC practice can be relevant to connected commercial proceedings, but it does not answer every question about representation before the onshore Dubai Courts. (DIFC Courts)

Best Lawyers in Dubai for Higher-Court Matters: 2026 Comparison

The table below lists Ahmad Abdulla Ahli first, for his direct service as a former Court of Cassation judge, followed by the remaining 9 practitioners alphabetically by first name, with their firm and the documented experience relevant to an initial assessment. Full profiles, with a "consider for" line and a first-consultation question, follow beneath the table.

How This Shortlist Was Selected

The selection considers documented litigation experience, relevance to Dubai-related instructions and published information about court practice.

Official professional biographies establish stated affiliations and practice areas. Where a firm describes higher-court capabilities or reports a case, that information is identified as firm-level evidence - not automatically attributed to every partner.

This review did not audit individual registrations, disciplinary histories, confidential case files, success rates or comparable fee quotations. It also does not establish that every listed practitioner personally drafts, signs or conducts every appeal accepted by their firm.

Use the list to identify suitable consultation candidates, then assess the proposed advocate, team and engagement terms. For subject-specific detail before that consultation, see our related guides to criminal lawyers in Dubai and construction lawyers in Dubai, or browse our full directory of Dubai lawyers.

1. Ahmad Abdulla Ahli - Ahmad Abdulla Ahli Advocates and Legal Consultants

Ahmad Abdulla Ahli is the founder of Ahmad Abdulla Ahli Advocates and Legal Consultants, which he established in 2023. What sets his profile apart on this list is that he is a former Senior Judge of the Dubai Court of Cassation itself, serving on the bench from 2016 to 2022 - the same court this guide is about. No other practitioner profiled here has personally sat as a judge of that court, and that vantage point is relevant to understanding how a cassation panel actually evaluates a judgment under review. (Ahli Law)

His biography records more than 27 years in the UAE legal field, including 6 years as a Dubai Police Lieutenant before his judicial and legal career, and earlier judicial appointments as Chairman of the Real Estate Court (2009-2012) and Chairman of the Labor Court (2008-2009). He is a Law Graduate of the Dubai Police Academy (1993) and holds a Judicial Institute Diploma (1995), and his biography states that he is licensed to appear before all UAE courts. (Ahli Law)

His current practice covers real estate and construction law, banking and financial law, commercial law, criminal litigation, employment law, intellectual property law, personal status law and will registration, with services offered in English, Arabic, Hindi and Urdu. That breadth, combined with his judicial background, may be relevant where a client wants a judgment reviewed from the perspective of how a cassation bench itself would read it. (Ahli Law)

2. Abdulrahman Juma - Hadef & Partners

Abdulrahman Juma is Deputy Managing Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution in Dubai at Hadef & Partners. His biography expressly lists permission to appear before the Dubai Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation. His published work includes commercial litigation, arbitration, director and shareholder disputes, and property-related matters. (Hadef & Partners)

His practice is relevant to considering a challenge involving a business dispute or the interpretation of commercial obligations. Provide the complete judgments and earlier submissions, rather than only a summary of why you believe the result was unfair. Readers dealing with the underlying commercial relationship may also find our guide on corporate legal support in Dubai useful background.

His biography's federal-court admission list names first-instance and appellate courts; it should not be expanded into an unverified Federal Supreme Court admission claim.

3. Dr. Ahmad Bin Hezeem - BSA LAW

Dr. Ahmad Bin Hezeem is a Senior Partner at BSA LAW, based in Dubai. His official biography describes experience in civil, criminal, family and private-client litigation, including contractual disputes. Separately, BSA's litigation department states that it undertakes proceedings from first instance through higher courts and maintains a dedicated advocacy team. (BSA LAW)

That distinction matters: a senior partner's involvement and a firm's court capabilities are not necessarily the same as that partner personally conducting your appeal.

For a proposed instruction, request a clear explanation of who will review the judgment, formulate the grounds, prepare the documents and take responsibility for filing.

4. Ahmed Galadari - Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants

Ahmed Galadari is the firm's Managing Partner and heads its litigation and dispute-resolution practice across Dubai, the DIFC and Abu Dhabi. His biography describes full UAE rights of audience and lists licences associated with the Dubai Legal Affairs Department, Ministry of Justice and Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. His work includes contractual, partnership, company, fraud and real estate disputes. (Galadari Law)

His practice merits consideration where an appeal assessment requires close examination of the proceedings already conducted and the reasoning adopted by the lower courts.

Ask the proposed team to explain both the available challenge and what happens if the judgment remains enforceable while the matter continues. Our overview of UAE litigation and arbitration strategy covers how enforcement and challenge tracks are often run in parallel.

5. Ali Alraeesi - Alsuwaidi & Company

Ali Alraeesi is a Dubai-based partner at Alsuwaidi & Company. His published biography describes practice across all levels of UAE courts and experience in civil, commercial and criminal litigation. His stated work also includes financial crime, cybercrime, insurance, professional-negligence and extradition matters. (Alsuwaidi & Company)

His practice may be relevant when a judgment involves several connected issues - for example, commercial transactions accompanied by allegations of wrongdoing. Where the criminal-law elements are more prominent, our guide to Dubai's top criminal lawyers sets out how that side of an instruction is typically assessed.

At the consultation, ask the lawyer to separate the different proceedings and explain which judgment or order is actually being challenged. Avoid treating a related civil claim and criminal case as though they share an identical appeal route.

6. Ali Al Zarooni - Horizons & Co.

Ali Al Zarooni is the founder and managing partner of Horizons & Co. His official profile describes UAE dispute-resolution experience across construction, real estate, financial institutions, white-collar crime and criminal defence. It states that he practises at all levels of UAE courts and identifies representation before courts, police stations and public prosecutions. (Horizons & Co)

His practice may suit an initial assessment where the proposed challenge forms part of a broader dispute strategy. For construction-specific detail before a first consultation, see our guide to Dubai's top construction lawyers.

For a construction or financial case, provide the relevant expert reports and objections alongside the judgments. Ask the team to distinguish a complaint about the evidence from a potential legal issue in the court's treatment of that evidence.

7. Awatif Al Khouri - Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy

Awatif Al Khouri is the founder and principal of Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates & Legal Consultancy. Her biography records that she began practising in Dubai in 1989 and established her firm in 2003. It identifies family, civil, commercial and criminal litigation and expressly describes representation extending from first-instance courts to the Federal Supreme Court. (Al Rowaad)

Her practice is a candidate for consideration where personal or family issues overlap with property, business or financial concerns.

Do not assume that every judgment within those areas follows the same challenge procedure. Ask counsel to explain the applicable route before discussing the arguments you hope to raise.

8. Dr. Habib Al Mulla - Habib Al Mulla and Partners

Dr. Habib Al Mulla is the founder of Habib Al Mulla and Partners. His biography records Dubai admission in 1984 and substantial experience in UAE litigation, arbitration and expert legal analysis. The firm also publishes examples of litigation reaching the Dubai Court of Cassation, including a shareholder dispute. That is evidence of reported firm work, not independent verification that he personally conducted each stage. (Habib Al Mulla and Partners)

His practice may be relevant where a matter raises difficult questions about the interpretation or application of UAE law. Where the underlying dispute involves shareholders, our guide to shareholder disputes in the UAE explains how those cases are typically structured before they reach an appeal stage.

Clarify the proposed division between strategic review and the practical conduct of the case. Ask whether a senior opinion is a separate service or part of the representation engagement.

9. Dr. Hassan Arab - Al Tamimi & Company

Dr. Hassan Arab is a Dubai-based partner and Regional Head of Dispute Resolution at Al Tamimi & Company. His biography describes civil and commercial litigation, arbitration, and recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and awards. It expressly records rights of audience before all levels of federal and local UAE courts. (Al Tamimi & Company)

His practice is relevant to considering matters where the available procedure may depend on the nature of the judgment, enforcement order or arbitration-related decision.

Ask the team to identify the precise decision under review. An instruction concerning an underlying dispute should be distinguished from one concerning recognition, enforcement or jurisdiction.

10. Dr. Mahmood Hussain - M&CO Legal

Dr. Mahmood Hussain is the Founding Partner of M&CO Legal in Dubai. His official biography describes courtroom advocacy before Dubai Courts, complex commercial and shareholder disputes, and work involving the relationship between onshore courts, the DIFC Courts and arbitration. His listed focus areas include public policy, arbitrability and enforcement. (M and Co)

His practice may be relevant when a judgment review requires more than identifying a single allegedly incorrect finding - for example, where the court's jurisdiction or the treatment of an arbitration agreement is central. Readers whose dispute originates in a shareholder disagreement may also find our guide to shareholder disputes in the UAE useful.

Ask for an assessment grounded in the existing documents and procedural history, with a clear distinction between available arguments and issues that require further investigation.

What Makes a Good Cassation or Supreme Court Case Assessment?

Start with whether the challenge is available

Before debating the merits, request a written explanation of the proposed procedure.

Ask counsel to identify the judgment or order, the relevant court, the applicable deadline, the conditions for bringing the challenge and the documents required. Request confirmation of how the deadline is calculated from the actual case record.

For a 2026 civil matter, also ask which procedural amendments apply. BSA's analysis of Federal Decree-Law No. 22 of 2025 identifies changes affecting appeal documents, specialised chambers and aspects of cassation review. An older template should not be assumed to address the current position. (BSA LAW)

Distinguish legal grounds from dissatisfaction with the result

Dubai legislation describes cassation review by reference to whether judgments were rendered in accordance with the law. It also recognises a merits role for the court in a second cassation appeal. Consequently, avoid both extremes: treating cassation as an unrestricted factual rehearing or asserting that it can never involve consideration of the merits. (Dubai Land Department)

A useful consultation should explain the difference in your case.

For example, ask not only, "Was the expert's conclusion wrong?" but also, "Is there a reviewable legal or procedural issue in how the court addressed the expert evidence?"

The lawyer should explain the proposed ground, its supporting record and its weaknesses - not merely restate your original case. A wider strategic view of how a dispute has been run, from first instance onward, is set out in our overview of UAE litigation and arbitration strategy.

Identify the authorised advocate

Dubai's Legal Affairs Department states that legal-consultant registration excludes pleading and representing third parties before Dubai Courts. Advice, document preparation and court representation therefore require clearly defined responsibilities. (Legal Affairs Department of Dubai)

Ask the firm to confirm who will sign and submit the relevant documents, whose admission covers the target court and who will respond to procedural requirements.

A Dubai office address, partner title or foreign legal qualification is not a substitute for that confirmation.

Address execution separately

Ask whether any enforcement steps are already underway, whether protective relief should be considered and what the proposed representation covers.

Request an honest assessment of risk

A useful assessment should distinguish between an arguable ground and a strong prediction of success.

Ask what could prevent the court from considering the challenge, what the principal substantive weakness is and what practical outcome the proposed procedure could achieve. Be cautious about promises of guaranteed reversal or claims that personal influence will determine the result.

What to Prepare Before Your First Consultation

For an appeal-stage assessment, organise three document groups:

• Judgments and notifications: complete first-instance and appellate judgments, relevant orders, notification records and known deadlines.
• The court record: claims, defences, earlier appeal documents, hearing records, expert reports and objections.
• Supporting and enforcement material: key agreements, correspondence, payment records, execution notices and existing representation documents.

Add a short chronology identifying what happened, which court dealt with it and what you need to achieve next.

Request a conflict check and secure document-transfer instructions before sending a substantial confidential file. Explain whether you are seeking advice for yourself, a company or another person.

How Much Do Higher-Court Lawyers in Dubai Charge?

A useful proposal should distinguish an initial judgment review from preparing and conducting the challenge. Ask whether it includes supplementary submissions, hearings where required, separate applications and work following the court's decision.

Clarify responsibility for translations, external counsel, experts, court charges, deposits and applicable taxes. Establish which items are excluded and how additional work will be approved.

For a substantial matter, consider requesting phased pricing: initial assessment, preparation and filing, subsequent procedural work, and any separate enforcement-related engagement.

Compare equivalent scopes. A quotation for reviewing a judgment is not directly comparable with one covering representation through the conclusion of proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the best lawyer in Dubai for Supreme Court cases?

There is no universally best choice. Start by identifying whether the matter concerns Dubai Cassation or a federal procedure, then compare relevant experience, current admission, availability, the proposed team and fees. This article's alphabetical order does not indicate superiority.

Is the Dubai Supreme Court the same as the Court of Cassation?

The proper name of Dubai's highest onshore court is the Dubai Court of Cassation. "Supreme Court" should not be used in a way that confuses it with the UAE Federal Supreme Court. (Dubai Land Department)

Can every unsuccessful case proceed to cassation?

Do not assume so. Ask counsel to establish the available procedure for the particular judgment, including any applicable restrictions or special rules. The 2026 civil-procedure analysis discussed above illustrates why the type of decision and procedural framework matter. (BSA LAW)

Will the Court of Cassation hear the entire case again?

Do not approach it as an automatic factual retrial. Dubai legislation emphasises review of legal compliance, while also providing for consideration of the merits in a second cassation appeal. Ask counsel to explain the court's role at your specific stage. (Dubai Land Department)

Should I use the same lawyer who handled the earlier proceedings?

Assess both continuity and the value of a fresh review. Ask your existing lawyer to explain the proposed grounds, their higher-court experience and who would undertake the work. A second opinion can be requested, but it should not distract from confirming and protecting the filing position.

Can a legal consultant handle the court representation?

Legal-consultant registration alone does not permit pleading and representing third parties before Dubai Courts. A consultant may contribute advice or preparation within an appropriately structured engagement, but the required advocate must be identified separately. (Legal Affairs Department of Dubai)

How can I check a lawyer's registration?

Use the Dubai Legal Affairs Department's directory and seek confirmation from the relevant authority where necessary. The Department states that its directory does not certify specialisations or endorse providers. For a higher-court matter, ask specifically about the admission relevant to that court. (Legal Affairs Department of Dubai)

Final Thoughts: Choose the Right Advocate for the Judgment

A higher-court instruction should begin with the judgment and procedural record - not a promise of success.

Use this shortlist to identify suitable candidates, then request an assessment explaining the correct court, the available challenge, the immediate deadline and the proposed grounds.

This article provides general information, not legal advice. Affiliations, availability and regulatory status may change. Inclusion does not independently verify current admission, establish suitability for every category of case, create a lawyer-client relationship or guarantee an outcome.